May 15, 2006

Hello

Welcome back to the church growth, mission, and evangelism blog sponsored by:

www.thegreatcommissionchurch.org . We are very glad to have you a part of our evangelism mission.

Today I would like to continue with thoughts on evangelism from The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert E. Coleman.

Evangelism is not done by something, but by someone. It is an expression of God’s love, and God is a person. Men are God’s method. Until we have such people imbued with his Spirit and committed to his plan, none of our methods will work. This is the new evangelism we need. It is not better methods, but better men and women who know their Redeemer from personal experience. Men and women who want only that Christ produce his life in and through them according to his good pleasure.

 

Equally agonizing may be the adjustment of the congregation to the Master’s view of the ministry. In all probability our whole concept of success will have to be reevaluated. Every one of us should be seeking some way to incorporate the wisdom of Jesus’ strategy into our own preferred method of evangelism.

 

New and bold approaches will need to be tried as situations change and not everything tried will work. A person unwilling to fail in the determination to find some way to get the job done will never get started, nor will the one afraid to try and try again make much progress.

 

Jesus’ life would teach us that finding and training people to reach people must have priority. The wandering masses of the world must have a demonstration of what to believe-they must have a mentor who will stand among them and say, “Follow me�.

 

It is better to give a year or so to one or two people who learn what it means to conquer for Christ than to spend a lifetime with a congregation just keeping the program going. Nor does it matter how small or inauspicious the beginning may be; what counts is that those to whom we give priority in our life learn to give it away.

 

Keep the focus on Jesus. The only realistic way to do this is by being together. If our followers are to see through us what they are to become, we must be with them. Let them see us in action so as to feel our vision and know how it relates to daily experience. Evangelism is then seen as a way of life. By being with us, their own involvement is inevitable.

 

If we are alert, most of the time our disciples could be with us while we are serving others. It may be necessary to arrange special times when the group can meet together with us. We can study the Bible, pray, and in general share with one another our deepest burdens and desires. Let the meeting grow out of a common need for fellowship.

 

We must keep our purpose clear. The times we spend together are not meant to be a break, but a strategic maneuver to gain more strength for the attack. It is our business to see that those who are with us are given something to do which will require the best in them. Everyone needs to be given some specific work by way of personal evangelism.

Probably no more essential contribution can be made to the ministry of the church than in the area of follow-up of new Christians.

 

We need to follow up with them to hear how things are going. This means seeking them out where they are or counseling with them while they are with us in another activity. It is essential that the new Christians keep growing in grace and in knowledge. We need to anticipate their problems and prepare them for what they will face. As their guardians, we are responsible for teaching them to live for the Master.

 

Everything should be leading these men and women to the day when they will assume by themselves a ministry in their own sphere of influence. The crucial thing is their own spiritual experience. We must make sure that they are well enough trained to keep them from being overwhelmed.

 

Christian service is demanding, and if people are going to be any use for God, they must first learn to seek the kingdom. We are not living for the present. Our satisfaction is knowing that in generations to come our witness for Christ will still be bearing fruit in an ever widening cycle of reproduction to the ends of the earth and unto the end of time.

Thank-you for visiting us today. Please give me your feedback. We want to get better and better for you. email me at: [e-mail] .

PS

Libsyn has advised us that they will be making some wonderful system improvements this week. The bad news is that there may be some glitches in the process. So we will include Libsyn in our prayers and make whatever changes in our publishing schedule that are necessary. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Pastor Bob Emery